RIVERSIDE

Kamryn Fink has been around the game of basketball for as long as she can remember.

Since second grade, the Highland freshman was a regular at the varsity basketball practices conducted by her father, Highland girls’ basketball coach Jody Fink. Kamryn’s interest quickly morphed into her own athletic endeavors at the youth and club levels, but now she finally has the opportunity to make her mark at the varsity level.

Through the first 10 games of the season, Kamryn’s impact has been sizable enough to exceed her own expectations.

“I expected to have a little bit of success, but definitely not as much as I am having right now,” she told The News. “My teammates have definitely helped me a lot. My teammates have given me a lot of confidence and helped me through a lot of tough times and have definitely built this trust in me.”

Highland (7-3) — ranked No. 14 in Class 1A by the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union — split its first two games since the schedule resumed following winter break. Friday, Fink led all scorers with 22 points and also grabbed 18 rebounds as the Huskies rallied from three separate 11-point deficits in the third quarter before falling at home to Pekin (4-4), 54-49, in overtime.

The following day, Highland traveled to Louisa-Muscatine (3-7) and Fink again led the way with 15 points as the Huskies flipped a halftime shortfall into a 38-36 bounce-back victory.

“We really have to just focus in and make sure we’re working together and not getting down on ourselves, because that is dragging us down in tough times. Instead, get up when we can.”

Fink is averaging 17.3 points per contest and ranks fourth in 1A with 173 total points and third with 27 three-point baskets.

The 5-foot-7 guard has been surprisingly adept around the basket. Entering Monday, no player in the state — regardless of class — had corralled more total rebounds (162) and defensive rebounds (118) than Fink.

It is a unique, polished skill set that can reap rewards throughout the Highland lineup.

“Hopefully she can bring what she has, still look to attack and use some of that leadership to help our team grow as a whole,” Coach Fink said.

Despite her youth, Kamryn is counted on for leadership on a team that graduated five players that accounted for 83 percent of the lineup starts for the group that finished 14-7 last season.

“We’re going to have our growing pains,” Coach Fink said. “We have got to work through that. One game, two games, that doesn’t make a season. The whole part of the game is going to do that for us. We’ve got to fix our mistakes, learn and grow from that. As long as we do that, we’ll be successful. We just want to build and improve off what we have been doing.”

Highland senior forward Katie Herrig (8.3 rebounds, 4.4 assists per game) is the lone returner from last season with any starting experience. The remainder of the Highland lineup includes some combination of sophomore guards Hailey Brun (12.0 points, 4.9 steals per game) and Katelyn Thomann, junior forward Mackenzie Davis (7.3 points, 5.8 rebounds) and junior guard Emersyn Schultz (8.1 points, 5.2 rebounds).

“We’re learning to work really well together,” Kamryn said. “It’s just keeping ourselves up and communicating on the court. We just need to keep the communication up so we all know where everyone is at all times and just keep ourselves together.”

HIGHLAND BOYS DROP TWO

Points have been in short supply for the Highland boys’ basketball team.

The Huskies (1-6) are averaging 45.5 points per game and have eclipsed 50 points just twice this season.

Highland Coach Bill Zywiec is pleased with his team’s offensive approach, one that should yield more points with another fortunate bounce or two.

“There have been some games where we’ve had our chances,” Zywiec said after the Huskies posted a season-low point total in Friday’s 74-30 home loss to Pekin. “One thing I do like is that we’re looking to attack the basket more. We’re not really forcing shots. We’re taking good shots, we just have to have them start to fall for us.”

Pekin (5-3) mauled the Huskies throughout the first quarter-plus of the game by posting an insurmountable 30-2 score.

Highland junior guard Bryce Hazelett paced the Huskies with 13 points, while senior post player Louis Horak pulled down six rebounds and sophomore guard/forward Jacob Schneider collected four assists.

“We talked about it all week, they play what I call ‘blue-collar defense,’” Zywiec said. “They just get after you. Nothing dirty, they just play a solid man to man and make it very difficult to get to the basket and if you’re not ready for that type of physical play, it’s going to be a rough game for you.”

In Saturday’s 68-49 loss at Louisa-Muscatine, Highland senior guard/forward Logan McFarland led the team with 17 points, while Hazelett chipped in 11.

Highland committed a whopping 55 turnovers combined in the week’s two losses.

Overall, Hazelett leads the Huskies in scoring at 13.9 points per game, while McFarland has 8.3 points and a team-high 5.6 rebounds per contest. Horak averages 7.6 points and 4.7 rebounds.

“I don’t think we have anyone that’s selfish,” Zywiec said “I don’t think we have anyone that’s out there looking to play for themselves. We just gotta start making the shots that we’re taking and we have got to cut our turnovers down. Our turnovers are killing us.”

Both the Highland girls and boys have road tilts this week against Lone Tree (Tuesday) and Hillcrest Academy (Friday) sandwiched around a Thursday home matchup with English Valleys.